Friday 3 October 2014 16:06, UK
Gloucester and Leicester will both be desperate to get their seasons on track when the two Aviva Premiership heavyweights go toe-to-toe on Saturday.
The fixture surprisingly pits seventh against eighth in the current standings, with each team having lost two of their first four league outings so far.
The Tigers were timid in going down to a suprise reverse to London Irish at home last time out, but are boosted this weekend by two of their summer signings being fit to make their debuts at Kingsholm.
New Zealander Brad Thorn, a World Cup winner with the All Blacks, and Italy prop Michele Rizzo both start for the visitors, with the former partnering Graham Kitchener in the second row.
The Cherry and Whites have Nick Wood making his first start of the campaign, while Greig Laidlaw and Tom Savage return to the starting XV having sat out Gloucester's win over London Welsh last Friday.
However they did lose their last home outing - 25-22 to Exeter - and have got the better of Leicester just once in the last eight meetings in all tournaments.
Having recorded their first triumph at Welford Road since 2003, London Irish will look to cause another upset when they host reigning champions Northampton at Madejski Stadium.
Exiles boss Brian Smith has understandably kept faith with the side that performed so well at Leicester, the only change seeing Ireland International Tomas O'Leary come in to start at scrum-half.
"Northampton are the reigning champions and have an outstanding squad," said director of rugby Smith. "It will be a huge test, but one we are relishing.
"We are back at the Madejski and I'd like to encourage our supporters to come out and get behind the team tomorrow, it makes a huge difference to have that support encouraging the boys."
Saints have selected Courtney Lawes in the absence of Christian Day, though England internationals Dylan Hartley and Alex Corbisiero are absent.
Alex Waller replaces the injured Corbisiero in the front row and there's a change at scrum-half, Lee Dickson coming in for Kahn Fotuali'i, who makes do with a seat on the bench.
Also on Saturday, Harlequins welcome winless London Welsh to the Twickenham Stoop in a capital clash that sees the hosts welcome back the experienced Nick Evans at fly-half.
The New Zealand international is one of four changes made by Quins boss Conor O'Shea following the away loss to Exeter Chiefs last Sunday.
Tom Casson, who makes his first appearance of the season, and Matt Hopper forming a new-look centre pairing, while the one alteration in the pack sees Joe Gray starting at hooker ahead of Dave Ward.
London Welsh could see prop Eddie Aholelei and loan signing Chris Hala'ufia, recruited for the next two weeks from Scarlets, make their first appearances for the club, though both will start the match on the bench.
Seb Stegmann returns to face his former club having missed the defeat to Gloucester and another former Quin, Peter Browne, is named at blindside flanker.
